The Dance of Winged Lovers (A Poem)

The Dance of Winged Lovers

On the forest floor I lay
beneath a canopy of boughs

a pair of lovebirds alight 
in the treetops above

in silence I watch
and listen with delight

soft trills in the breeze
yielding to chirps and chatters

signalling readiness 
preceding their courtship ritual

of clicking crooning whistles  
and mutual preening

in preparation for their
breathtaking dance

this feast of affection
voluntarily yielding to

a double helix corkscrew descent
and I the lone witness

to their synchronized duet

* * * 

Poem inspired by a vivid memory from a hiking trip along the Athens hillsides one lazy afternoon above the Hocking River. The forest was alive, but one must be still to fully experience its treasures.